How to File a Complaint
If you feel a health care provider, or state or local government agency, has discriminated against you (or someone else) based on race, national origin, disability, or age, you may file a civil rights complaint. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) can also investigate disability-based discrimination complaints against programs operated by HHS. Under certain statutes and regulations, OCR also has limited authority to investigate complaints of discrimination based on sex and religion. If you believe your health care provider conscience protection rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with OCR.
For more information about the Civil Rights Laws and Regulations we enforce, please review our Understanding Civil Rights section or look at our Frequently Asked Question (FAQs) .
The Case Resolution Manual for Civil Rights Investigations (CRM) provides OCR staff and managers with the procedures and strategies designed to promptly and effectively evaluate, investigate, and resolve complaints and compliance reviews, and to enforce violation findings where warranted.
COMPLAINT REQUIREMENTS - Your complaint must:
- Be filed in writing, either on paper or electronically, by mail, fax, or e-mail;
- Name the health care or social service provider involved, and describe the acts or omissions, you believed violated the civil rights laws or regulations; and
- Be filed within 180 days of when you knew that the act or omission complained of occurred. OCR may extend the 180-day period if you can show "good cause."
ANYONE CAN FILE! - Anyone can file written complaints with OCR. We recommend that you use the Civil Rights Discrimination Complaint Form Package . You can also request a copy of this form from an OCR regional office . If you need help filing a complaint or have a question about the complaint or consent forms, please email OCR at OCRMail@hhs.gov .
THE CIVIL RIGHTS NONDISCRIMINATION LAWS AND REGULATIONS PROHIBIT RETALIATION - Under Civil Rights Laws an entity cannot retaliate against you for filing a complaint. You should notify OCR immediately in the event of any retaliatory action.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR COMPLAINT TO OCR - To submit a complaint to OCR, please use one of the following methods.
If you mail or fax the complaint, be sure to send it to the appropriate OCR regional office based on where the alleged violation took place. OCR has ten regional offices, and each regional office covers specific states. Send your complaint to the attention of the OCR Regional Manager. You do not need to sign the complaint and consent forms when you submit them by email because submission by email represents your signature.